Chapter 7

By the morning of the fifth day of my journey, I already regretted that I hadn’t bought a horse since the books were heavy. The problem was that I hadn’t been sure about food for the horse. I was closing on the pass, and I was positive that I would be able get to the other side even during this day. Maybe I could see the sea and the sun setting on the horizon. Yeah, maybe - if there were no clouds. Hey, that had to happen every now and then.

I was sure that there would be much more rain on the other side of the mountains, but that wouldn’t stop me, and I wouldn’t even mind it - well, at least not too much. Now there started to be boulders on both sides of the road, but the road itself was quite straight. It would be easy to travel it, even with wagons. However, you could tell that there hadn’t been that much use lately, since nature was trying to claim the road back for itself.

Then I stopped and took a few steps back. There had been something about the boulder on the right side of the road that captured my attention.

One side of the boulder was almost unnaturally smooth. But that was not what had caught my attention. No, it was the fact that I could see magical lines on that smooth area. Almost without thinking, I lifted my right hand and started wiping the surface. As soon as my hand touched the lines they became brighter but that was not what frightened me. The thing that scared me was that as soon as I touched the surface I heard a girl or a woman speaking inside my head. Once I removed my hand, the voice stopped; but the places that I had touched remained bright. Then I understood that what I saw in front of me was writing. It was not Anglon. It was the Old Language.

If my father made sure that I could hunt, my mother made sure that I could read and write - but when I was young I never really understood why she had insisted that besides Anglon I should also learn to read the Old Language. I couldn’t understand why I should learn a language that no one spoke, and I even needed to keep my knowledge of it secret. But my mother usually got what she wanted, and after some murmuring, I did what she had asked. In my early teens, when I found a mysterious book that my mother had tried to keep hidden, I suddenly became very happy that I had learned to read the Old Language. The book was an illustrated guide written for women, on how to fight ‘those unfair rivals’ by keeping their men happy. It was a guidebook for women how to please their men! Even if that was the main topic of the book, there were also several pointers how the women would get most out of it themselves. Of course I had memorized those parts and images. Later, I used my knowledge for my own benefit when I seduced Saga for the first time.

Now the text in front of me was written in the same language but this was the first time I’d heard it spoken - even if only inside my head. Next, I started going through those marks with my finger. Starting from the beginning slowly, I followed them all the way to the end. All the time I followed the letters, the voice could be heard inside my head. Several of those words were familiar, but hearing those words as well as seeing them, almost prevented me from understanding what it was all about.

These were directions, but there were also names I didn’t understand. Of course I didn’t understand them, because they were names! This place was a crossroads, and this stone explained where those roads headed.

In the West there was a place named after some fish, but I had no idea what kind of fish. But as this road was heading to a village on the coast, it made sense. In the East was the home of the smelly farmers, and I couldn’t help laughing since that was just too true, especially now. In the North there was a place that was New something. Maybe something like New Sanctuary, but there seemed to be much more feeling in that word than just that. I ‘listened’ to the text a few more times and when I looked North, I could imagine that there was a path leading in that direction. No, there was no visible path, but there were stones that were almost a bit too regular for it to be accidental. I was quite sure that if I followed those stones a bit further the actual path would start from there. I could feel my curiosity increasing, and it was followed by a terrible desire to go that way - to check what would be waiting for me there.

I took a step in that direction, but then I stopped and started thinking. What I was feeling? How I was feeling? I ran my finger twice more through the text and I then I started laughing. So, this was the way it was supposed to be read! In a way I felt proud of myself, since I had figured something similar without any help. Well, almost similar. When I created those drops, it took only weeks to do and months to take effect. Yeah, almost similar. I dared myself to ‘read’ the text once more and when the urge came, I did my best to feel it, to sense it and to understand the feelings and how they were created. What happened was that now I took two steps up that path before I could stop myself. I shook my head and started thinking about Saga, while forcing my way towards the pass and that village named after some strange fish. I could still feel the urge to check that northern path but moving away became easier step by step.

I saw the sun set into the ocean! Just before the sun was about to set, a gap opened in the clouds and I was able to see the sun set on the horizon. I just sat there and watched the whole thing like it was some miracle - and when the bright green flash appeared, just after the last rays of the sun had disappeared below the horizon, I couldn’t help smiling. I had survived, and I was on my way home as a wealthy young man. Well, wealthy when compared to my old status, and quite wealthy when compared to any of my neighbors. On my way to this point I had passed another boulder with instructions - and with some kind of spell added to that text. I only dared to follow the text two times, since I could sense that otherwise the urge might become uncontrollable. Now I started having images of the girl/woman when I ‘read’ the text. For certain I wasn’t going to tell Saga that I almost got a hard-on, just by listening to that voice.

It took me five more days to get to the big fishing village on the coast. There I learned what kind of fish it was that was mentioned in those stones. The locals called it ‘flatfish,’ and I have to admit that the name described the fish quite well. Once I saw the fish, the description written in the Old Language made some sense to me.

There was a tavern in the village which mostly served the guests and merchants that came with the boats. During the Spring, there was a period when there really wasn’t that much boat traffic, because the traders were afraid of the ice floe fragments that came from the rivers and took their time to melt whilst in the ocean. The local fishermen just shook their heads at that and went fishing anyway.

I tasted the flatfish when I spent one night in the tavern. I listened to the locals who complained about the harsh winter, since it would be later than usual before trade would begin. Soon all their barrels would be full of salted and smoked flatfish, and they’d need to limit their fishing because of that.

Well, I did my best to help them with that by eating my stomach full of it! I also had a pint of local beer with it. When they asked about me, I only admitted that I’d been helping Guardians, and that I was now on my way back home. It turned out that they didn’t see that many Guardians down here, but of course they knew the same stories as everybody else.

If the evening had been nice the following morning was a total turnaround. It seems that to some people, being young is the same thing as being stupid, someone that you can fool without any consequences. I guess that I had made a mistake mentioning that I intend to buy a horse and use it on my way up North. There was only one person who was trading horses, and when I visited him the following morning he only had one horse that we wanted to sell me - and that horse was having serious problems with at least two of its feet. It had been drugged, so it didn’t show - much. So, the only horse that the trader was willing to sell me was a sick animal. Okay, I don’t know much about horses, but I know a sick animal when I see one.

When I started complaining to him about that, he started yelling at me! How could I claim him to be dishonest, and how it was clear that I didn’t know anything about horses and how I should be grateful that he even bothered to talk with me. Yeah, talk about honest horse traders.

Finally, I’d had enough and just informed him that I’d better leave but I’d need to send mail to my fellow Guardians and inform them that on their coming trips here they should be prepared to bring extra horses with them since they wouldn’t be getting any horses here. As I had learned the Guardians usually traded horses with local traders so that they’d always have fresh horses with them. I was sure that they were important customers.

“Like you’d really know any Guardians, a young lad like you,” he sneered.

At that point I’d had enough. I took my backpack and picked up the pile of sheets that were securely covered with oiled cloth. I selected one of the Bond sheets and showed it to him. By that time, there were also a few bystanders who had stopped and had been following his tantrum.

“By the way that you do business, I’m quite sure that you have never seen any of these, but I’m also sure that there is someone in this village who has - and, is able to read,” I told him.

First the man started to look even more angry than he had been, but as soon as he took a look at that Bond, he paled. The Bond was dated and assigned to Stian Elder, son of Dagfinn and Helle, aged 17, and it also addressed my home village and the amount of that single Bond. I had a pile of those since they had thought that it would be easier for me to deal with smaller Bonds. The amount of Crowns and Pennies available on this coastal side was sometimes a bit limited.

Several of the bystanders also got a view of the Bond, and I could see at least a few smirks here and there. I guess that this trader wasn’t a very popular man around here. I didn’t care. I was simply pissed, since all that I had wanted was a suitable horse and a fair trade. I hadn’t spent a year of my life chasing a beast just to be fooled in something that was supposed to be a simple trade.

“I’ve had enough, I’ll buy some supplies, and then I’ll have lunch at the tavern. After my lunch, I’ll prepare that letter.”

I took my Bond and stored it with the others in the oil cloth. After packing them up again, I went to visit the store. I knew that I should have bought those things on the other side of the mountains, but my friends had kept me so busy that I had totally forgotten about it. Oh well, I was able to do it here, and it certainly was much cheaper that it would be at home from Torvald. So, I bought some paper and some nice ink from a blushing and giggling girl who was helping at the store. Okay, she was cute, and I smiled at her but there was nothing wrong with that, wasn’t there? Damn, I needed to get home quickly - and get laid.

Back at the tavern, I accepted the lunch that was offered and I started considering my options. For sure I didn’t want to buy that sick horse from that trader. Or to be more exact I didn’t want to buy anything from that trader. The problem was that I wanted to go home even more. Much more - but with that horse I wouldn’t get even close. I could of course walk, but then I wouldn’t be any faster than I’d be with the boat - and to tell the truth, I was tired of walking. So, I had some decent money, I had my Bonds, but I had no way to use that wealth in order to get home faster.

“I might be able to sell you a horse, if you’re still interested,” a voice suggested.

“I sure am I replied. I had been so deeply in my thoughts that I hadn’t noticed the old man who had appeared next to me.

“You know son, I served with the Guardians for ten years, so I know that with the amount of bonds you have you must have done a hell of the service for them, and even spent quite a long time doing it. So, what is your specialty?”

Suddenly my crossbows seemed totally out of place in this tavern. I had been so used to carrying them around, that I really hadn’t paid any attention to the things I was carrying. I could see that he had noticed them and probably also the handle of the sword I had in my backpack. When I looked at the old man I could easily believe that he had been a Guardian since he reminded me of Rafal.

“Sir, what was your rank?”

He actually chuckled at my question.

“So, it was something that should be kept secret, I’m okay with that. But yes, I first served four years and then another six as Sergeant. They would have liked me to stay another four years, but I felt that I had done my share of tracking Trolls and cleaning up messes caused by Magicians.”

Now I was almost sure that he had actually been a Guardian, since not so many people outside their own ranks knew about their contracts or how to advance in the ranks. The common men could usually only end up being Corporals after serving four plus two years. Retiring as a Sergeant would usually require ten years of service. Besides, hardly anyone outside their ranks knew about chasing Trolls or messes created by the Magicians. I was quite sure that my face showed no emotion when he mentioned those things.

“I was a tracker for about a year,” I told him.”

“What takes a year to track?”

“Something that can run faster than you.”

He had smiled when he had asked his question but burst out laughing when I answered him. Then he leaned forward and picked up one of the wooden arrows I had made during the last Winter.

“Interesting arrows you have here.”

I just shrugged, and said, “You need to figure out something when you’re about to run out of arrows.”

“But you said that you were a tracker?”

“I did some hunting, too.”

“With your special arrows, I guess.”

Damn, that old guy was so nosy that I couldn’t help smiling a bit. Besides, I liked my arrows!

“You said something about selling a horse.”

The smile I wore was wide when I slowly rode my horse up the trail towards the crossing of the West-East and South-North roads - or rather, trails. Not even the rain could dampen my good feeling. It had been easy to buy this horse from the former Guardian, and it had been equally hard to keep him from getting the details of our mission. Even if I did my best, I’m sure that he managed to guess much more than I would have liked to tell - because of the things I didn’t tell. By asking questions that cannot be answered, you can get quite a lot information. Okay, I could have lied to him but that didn’t seem fair, either. Besides, his parting words to me had been that I shouldn’t worry, since my secrets would be safe with him. I believed that retired Sergeant.

My trip towards the North was both easier because I had a horse, but it also made it a bit harder since I had to make sure that she - yes, she was a mare - had something to eat and drink. Luckily, the snow had mostly melted and there was quite a lot of hay that had stayed green under it. On my stops in two small villages I traded a few rabbits for some good hay and everybody was happy. Yes, I cheated when I snared rabbits, but I never trapped more than I needed - and my horse, Luna, certainly liked the extra treats I was able to get for her while trading. In fact, when I asked for them, I got some of them free, since the people living in this area appreciated the fact that I took care of my horse.

Since I didn’t remember the exact geography of the area, I made sure to ask about the roads at each stop. In my last village I had a decision to make. The better of the roads would take me to the biggest town on this side of the mountains, and it was on the northern area of our kingdom. Well, it also was the only real town in this northern area and only slightly bigger than the only other town the western coast. There weren’t so many natural harbors for bigger ships on this coast, so it was quite natural that the town would be there. The main product on this part of the coast was surprisingly - fish. Not any fish, but salmon - the big, red salmon that was a real treat and wanted all over the country. I really would have liked to see that town since I had never been in a town. Damn, before this mission with the Guardians, I hadn’t been in any other village.

The problem was that the town was located on a peninsula and visiting it would add at least four days to my trip, maybe a whole week. The other possibility would be to take a shortcut that climbed a lot higher towards the fjells. It was potentially unsafe and only barely marked at all, as the area up there was uninhabited. I stopped at the crossroads and hesitated a moment before turning uphill.

While traveling with my horse, I rode only part of the time and quite often walked beside Luna. That allowed us longer day-trips, and to tell the truth I wasn’t so familiar with riding that I would have been able to do it all day long. Then, maybe I was, now, but I still liked to walk occasionally. It was soon after that crossing and during that walk that I noticed a boulder that looked quite a lot like ones I had seen before on both sides of the pass. Just out of curiosity, I stopped and wiped that smooth surface with my hand.

Once again the letters appeared in the stone but this time there was nothing inviting or seductive in its message; no, this was a sheer warning. A warning that you were about to leave ‘the neutral zone’ and enter ‘the ugly lands’ or ‘lands of the ugly people’. Again, it was a female voice that ‘read’ those words, but instead of tempting, those words gave you a feeling that you wanted to turn around and take the other route. I considered the warning for a while. Now, when I had wiped the rock, the writing was clearly visible to those who could see magic, and it showed no signs of fading. However, before touching it there hadn’t been any sign of it. To me it seemed that all these rocks were old - and it had been a very long time ago when someone had made these texts visible. Besides, there had been human travelers who had used this route without problems. I continued on my way.

It was the following night when I was in the borderlands and already resting between wakefulness and sleep, when some words started echoing inside my head. When I understood what those words were, I was suddenly awake again.

‘I’m sorry. I should not have come with them, but I would have been a good man to her‘, the words came to my mind.

That was what the dying Troll had said to me, again and again - in Old Language. Then, I had just not been able to connect his words to the language, but now when those words came back to me, I understood what he had tried to tell me. It was the same language I had heard from the ‘speaking stones’ but different, like two totally different dialects. But both of them, were definitely the Old Language. But how had my mother been able to understand the Old Language?

After that I had some serious problems in falling asleep. When I finally slept, my dreams were a terrifying combination of the stories from my childhood, angry Trolls, and the alien, beastly creature. Words were spoken in my dreams, and they all were of the Old Language. It was as if I had a lecture of spoken Old Language in my sleep. For some reason that creature was the only being in my dreams that didn’t judge me. Instead, I remembered the bottomless sadness in those bright yellow eyes.